Quality Professionals. Quality Practice. Transforming the Ontario Professional Planners Institute

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1 Transforming the Ontario Professional Planners Institute While it is true to say that change is constant, the current professional and societal context in Ontario makes it imperative that OPPI continues to evolve in new ways to focus and respond to change. In keeping with this, OPPI s renewed Strategic Plan sets out how to take the profession and our Institute forward. OPPI also has a new By-law and with this a more effective governance and organizational structure. Council is focused on decision-making and strategic initiatives. OPPI can better engage members in meaningful roles with clear objectives and defined timelines; leverage technologies to enhance communication; strengthen the Institute s voice and influence; and expand the profession s body of knowledge. Additionally, the new structure assists OPPI to proactively align with the requirements of the Not-For-Profit Corporations Act, Underpinning the Strategic Plan are four inter-related themes: OPPI seeks to make a bigger difference to the people of Ontario by positioning planning as meriting self-regulation. The Institute will pursue stronger legislation to move from a voluntary professional association to a self-regulated profession with a stronger commitment to acting in the public interest. Continued Professional Learning is a mandatory and a part of professional certification. A broad array of stimulating programs will be offered to help members maintain or increase knowledge, skills and professional performance standards. These will help members stay current with changes and developments in the profession since their licensure and stay informed about innovations and leading practices. OPPI will facilitate the creation and sharing of planning knowledge covering many traditional fields of planning, as well as, emerging areas of expertise. Through broad-based engagement and insightful analysis this body of planning knowledge will grow as new resources are developed and identified. OPPI will continue to advance policies promoting sustainable, healthy communities. 1

2 OPPI elevates the voice of planners to promote the value of planning and enhance public understanding of the importance of a professional planner s perspective. Setting the Stage Planning for the Future heralded a change in the organization of the planning profession in Canada, and shifted the roles of the planning institutes. There is now a strategic alliance across Canada establishing a national Professional Standards Board and a Professional Standards Committee. The board administers the standard. The committee develops joint recommendations on modifications to membership and accreditation standards for admission of individuals qualified to practice as professional planners and for recognition of planning schools. Increasingly, the role for OPPI is less about the administration of credentialing and more about being knowledge-based and delivering affordable and accessible continuous learning to members. OPPI supports members, not only to remain current with contemporary practice but to be effective in the dynamic environment ahead. A Streamlined Structure OPPI Mission Develop and maintain professional standards in the public interest Lead and support members to plan healthy and sustainable communities Act as a resource for planning excellence. Vision Planning healthy and sustainable communities through vision, leadership and integrity. Goals Advance professional selfregulation in the public interest Strengthen the practice of planning through professional standards Advance the body of knowledge of planning practice Be the recognized voice of planners shaping planning policy to achieve healthy and sustainable communities Continue to build a responsive and excellent organization. Source: Vision 2015: Achieving The new OPPI structure comprises two Healthy and Sustainable complementary elements: Council and four standing Communities in the Public committees which focus on governance. Members Interest engage through collaborative District teams, program committees and strategy groups that focus on implementing the Strategic Plan. (A diagram of the new OPPI Structure is included at the end of this document.) 2

3 Governance OPPI s new governance structure demonstrates a commitment to excellence in governance, public accountability and practitioner competence. The governing body is comprised of motivated individuals drawn from diverse backgrounds, who work together effectively with professional acumen, foresight and creativity. These are important factors as we move towards our goal of self-regulation. The priority of Council is to guide the organization through policy decisions and strategic directions. It provides direct oversight in a number of core areas such as finance, quality control, risk management and stakeholder relations. Council empowers staff and volunteers to implement the strategic plan and delegates operational management of the Institute to the Executive Director. The new smaller Council is more strategic and allows for a thorough discussion of issues and resolution involving all Council members. The Council is comprised of nine to eleven members including President, Secretary/Treasurer, the President Elect and one voting public member reflecting a diversity of perspectives and experience. The inclusion of a member of the public demonstrates Council s receptivity not only to professionals concerns but those of the greater public affected by the planning profession. The election of Council members follows nominating policy and procedures so as to ensure a balanced membership, one which reflects the broad diversity of professional planners including sector, field of practice, geographic location, age and gender. With no direct District representation, all Council members are mindful of their pan-ontario obligations. To help Council fulfill its governance responsibilities there are the following four standing committees: Executive Committee Comprising President, Secretary/Treasurer and the President Elect, the Executive Committee provides advice and recommendations to Council. It is directly responsible for finance and audit committee functions, risk management and human resources matters. Governance & Nominating Committee Comprising Full members with a majority drawn from Council, the Governance & Nominating Committee is responsible for the nominating process, including standing committee chairs, governance education development and evaluation processes. Responsibilities of this standing committee include making recommendations concerning Council policies and bylaw. Professional Standards & Registration Committee Composed of Full members, the Professional Standards & Registration Committee is responsible for professional standards development, oversight and impact assessment, Continuous Professional Learning standards and adjudicating on membership application issues at the request of the registrar. It also delegates a representative to the Professional 3

4 Standards Committee providing Ontario-specific insight concerning existing practice standards. Discipline Committee Comprising Full members, the Discipline Committee operates at arm s length from Council and makes independent decisions regarding complaints and discipline cases within the scope of its mandate. It is delegated the authority to investigate complaints against OPPI Members, determine if there is an apparent infraction and assess discipline options as appropriate. Discipline Committee responsibilities include offering advice to the Professional Standards & Registration Committee concerning clarity and/or standards development. Member Engagement The new operational structure engages OPPI s diverse membership, capturing members expertise and insights. The membership drives the organization. Additionally, technology is leveraged to enhance communication with and among members, facilitate a broader volunteer base, enlarge the scope and depth of professional knowledge and capture a greater variety of viewpoints. District teams and program committees help to deliver OPPI programs. Strategy groups support staff in implementing strategic initiatives and addressing emerging issues. All mandates are clear and volunteer commitments are time limited. It is anticipated that some committees and groups may be phased out as goals are achieved and others created as opportunities and issues arise. District Teams Members will continue to be organized in Districts and encouraged to participate in local networking events and programs. Districts will continue to do what Districts do best engage their communities of professional planners. District events are the locus of sharing, professional development and networking. These provide a window on local issues, as well as, offer perspectives on pan-ontario learning. Leadership & Recognition Outreach Committee Working closely with staff, the Leadership & Recognition Outreach Committee develops the volunteer program, juries the scholarships and awards programs and recommends member recognition to Council. The committee liaises with Candidate members, students and University planning schools. Planning Knowledge Exchange Committee Connecting every member with information and facilitating a fluid exchange of knowledge in practical ways is the core mandate of the Planning Knowledge Exchange Committee. Members are cultivated for their insight, knowledge, best practices and opinion. Subject matter experts help curate incoming content, source useful knowledge elsewhere and coordinate programming in a variety of mediums. District Forum Strategy Group To share knowledge, exchange leading practices and undertake training and development, District leaders meet at least once annually with options for alternative 4

5 modes of participation. Other strategy groups are offered the opportunity to consult, brainstorm and explore ideas with District representatives at the annual forum. Self-regulation Strategy Group The Self-regulation Strategy Group leads the pursuit of stronger legislation to move from a voluntary professional association to a self-regulated profession acting in the public interest. Quality Practice Strategy Group Mindful of trends, membership characteristics and insights from other parts of the organization, the Quality Practice Strategy Group helps to establish the tools and educational programs required to support mandatory Continuous Professional Learning. This work is seamlessly integrated with the creation and dissemination of planning knowledge, which will grow as new resources are developed and identified. Planning Issues Strategy Group OPPI is the recognized voice of the planning profession and the Planning Issues Strategy Group helps to strengthen that voice and expand its reach. Group members help to scan the planning environment and identify planning issues that matter most to the people of Ontario. Transition The year 2013 is a transitional year. Council will work, with the support of the Districts and existing committees, to carry on business as usual and help ready the organization for the new era ahead. Information will be shared over the coming months with members, current volunteers and future leaders about the opportunities to participate in the renewed OPPI beginning 2013/14. Conclusion The new structure better positions the profession to qualify for self-regulation, ensuring that anyone who calls herself/himself a planner has the requisite skills and competencies and meets established ethical standards. It enhances member engagement and contributions. It facilitates making Continued Professional Learning mandatory and part of professional certification. It enables the dissemination of information and expands the repository of planning knowledge. It also elevates the voice of planners among government, related professions and the public at large. Lastly, it ensures conformity with the new Ontario Not- For-Profit Corporations Act, The new structure enables OPPI to better respond to the future. While ensuring strong, focused governance, it capitalizes on member engagement with a flexible structure that leverages new communication technologies. 5

6 New OPPI Structure OPPI Council Governance Executive Committee Governance & Nominating Professional Standards & Registration Discipline Executive Director & Staff Strategic Plan Implementation Program Committees District Teams Strategy Groups 6